


Until Sunset

by erbby17



Category: Free!
Genre: AU, But whatever, Chapter Fic, I know it's been done, Little Mermaid AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-21 08:50:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4822805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erbby17/pseuds/erbby17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The full-version and continuation of Gou's "The Little Merperson" story from my earlier fic, "It's Just a Story."<br/>Sousuke is a fisherman of humble means, but his life changes when hears the beautiful cries of the fated merman, Rin. </p>
<p>For SouRin Week, Day 5: Scissors (First Time)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Until Sunset

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! As of right now, this story will be a little incomplete: it turns out I got a little ambitious and thus couldn't finish this fic in time. This wouldn't normally be an issue, but tonight after work, I'm going away for the weekend, and thus will be unable to update this fic until I return on Sunday. Honestly, I knew a few people were curious about the continuation and so I wanted to get something out there for now. So thank you for your patience, and please enjoy!

With the crash of a small and disappointing wave, Sousuke brought his small boat to shore and dropped his empty net on the sands; another disappointing day at sea. He only needed to fish to feed himself, having built his meager home on the outskirts of the kingdom; that’s how he got out of paying the royal taxes. 

He gazed towards the horizon, staring pensively at the setting sun; two bad fishing days in a row could be a bad omen. His preserved stock was running low, and if the following day proved to be fruitless as well, he could be in trouble. Sighing, he wrapped up his net and placed it in his rowboat and tied it to a nearby sturdy rock to keep it from floating away. While securing this tie, the wind carried a strange sound to his ears. He turned his head, trying to find the source.

The wind died and the odd sound with it. Still, Sousuke’s curiosity got the best of him. He kept his breaths low and shallow before the sound returned, louder than before. He couldn’t place what it was, but it was harmonious and beautiful. Stepping along the shoreline, away from the village, he thought it was growing louder, and as it did, he began to run. 

Whatever the sound was, it was calling to him, and he needed to find the source. As he ran closer to the seaside cliff that loomed in the distance, he began to place the sound and slowed his pace when he realized that it was someone crying. His chest tightened and Sousuke stopped in his tracks as the crying stung him to the core. 

He looked around the area, feeling that the source had the close. Carefully, he continued along the shoreline until he saw the outline of a body on the rocks below the cliff. As he got closer, he saw the shimmer of scales gleam in the dull glow of the setting sun. “Is that a…”

The figure bore the torso of a human, but below the figure’s hips was a fish tale. The scales shimmered in shades of reds and pinks, stretching up to scatter randomly on the creature’s shoulders, elbows, and neck. 

“A mermaid,” he whispered, carefully approaching the mythical beast he had only heard of in tales. The creature was cradling its face in its hands, strands of its brilliant red hair fluttering in the wind. He was eager to get a look of the mermaid’s face, curious if the creature would remain beautiful or reveal itself to be a monstrous thing like the sirens in the fairy tales.

“Um, excuse me,” Sousuke said, coughing to clear his throat.

The creature flinched and immediately turned to Sousuke, revealing the flat chest of a man. “H-human!!” His eyes widened, a shade of red to rival the beauty of his scales.

Sousuke held his stance and smiled, and stretched out his hand. “Are you okay?” He took caution in approaching the merman once he noticed his shark-like teeth. “I heard you crying and thought someone was hurt.”

The merman scoffed and looked out to the sun, finally sinking beneath the horizon. “No, I’m not hurt,” he said, his shoulders hunched. “At least, not physically.”

“What happened?” Sousuke was still entranced and took steps closer to the merman until he was just a few feet away.

“I fell in love with a human,” he said, his red eyes dim and sad. “And I had a sea witch give me human legs in exchange for my voice so I could win him over, but…” The merman sighed and turned his head away. “I was rejected. I guess that’s how my body returned to normal, but I don’t have much time.”

“Time for what?” Sousuke was so close he could smell the sweetness of the merman. It tickled his nose, mingling with the salty sea air. 

“Only true love’s kiss can make me a human forever. By the third sunset, I’ll turn into sea foam and die,” the merman said as the sun completely disappeared beyond the horizon.

Sousuke looked out as well. “And which sunset is this?”

“First,” the merman said, flicking his hair and looking up at Sousuke. “Pretty pathetic, huh? I got rejected before the first day even ended.” The merman’s voice had a bitter bite to it, but it wasn’t enough to mask his sadness.

“No,” Sousuke said, now sitting beside the merman; he was surprised that he was able to get so close. “I find it unbelievable that anyone would reject you so quickly.”

The merman turned to Sousuke, his eyes still sad, but a spark of hope twinkled in them. “Who…”

“Sousuke,” he said, offering the smallest of smiles. “How about I make your last two days worthwhile, huh?”

The merman smiled and took Sousuke’s hands in his. “That sounds nice, actually,” he said softly, before looking back up, his smile just as beautiful as his cries. “My name is Rin.”

\- 

Sousuke brought Rin back to his small cottage once the night grew dark; it was safer to carry the merman home without prying eyes. He had brought out his wash tub and filled it with water from the local stream. “Is it okay if it’s freshwater? The ocean is a little far away for carrying water.”

Rin hung his arms over the edge of the tub, resting his chin on his arms. “Not in the long run, but it should be okay for these two days,” he said. His mood went back to gloomy after he was brought to Sousuke’s little home. Although Rin insisted it wasn’t because of the humble lodgings, Sousuke grew slightly self-conscious of his meager lifestyle for the first time ever.

“I know it’s not much,” he said, looking around at the washbasin and stove at the side and his bed hidden in the opposite corner.

“It’s fine,” Rin said, closing his eyes and slipping under the waters in the tub.. 

Sousuke looked over, observing how the water rippled over Rin’s face, his tail hanging out from the edge of the tub. He couldn’t take his eyes off of him, and he was sure that this was due to the siren’s curse that had been told in legends.


End file.
